I apologize in advance for the verboseness of this post.
If you are interested in getting your PPL (Private Pilot’s License), I think you can get it at the end of primary. Besides, I do not think getting a PPL automatically bypasses you through IFS anymore. Some of my classmates and then some people I met at A-pool who had PPLs were still required to complete IFS. No biggie, you will just get done quicker and besides you already understand the concepts they are trying to teach you. Wind pushes you, turn the yoke left, the plane goes left. Simple things like that. Perhaps the most invaluable training you receive in IFS is radio work. Students are often apprehensive about radio calls. This will get you over that fear. Pretty soon you realize that the voice on the other end is in fact another human being. On the ground getting ready for a solo, I called up Eglin Clearance and to my amazement, the guy they had on the radio was a student as well. "Eglin clearance, Miracle Strip 5-0 delta on the ground at Destin, departing Runway 32, request VFR clearance to the east training area." To which I heard "Miracle strip 5-0 delta, uhhhhh....uhhhhh *mike Clicks* uhhhh miracle strip 5-0 delta departure approved?" The instructor at clearance took over then.
IFS is being taken more seriously now (for use as a further weeding-out tool) and the Navy, although they swear up and down they are not doing this, is looking for a certain drop-out rate and they have revoked flight school contracts on the grounds that the flight schools are not failing enough people. Realize that by being selected into flight school, you are already a cut above. Most people are pretty smart, and fairly confident in their known abilities. My suggestion is you just go through IFS and hopefully you will get a good instructor which most of them are. Almost everyone passes IFS. People who don’t usually pass should not even be allowed near plane let alone any type of complicated machinery.
As far as college majors go, I went to the Merchant Marine Academy and majored in Ship Operations and Technology. It was basically a major in navigation (terrestrial, celestial, and radio) with a minor in engineering. If you had a major that catered to API textbooks, that probably would be as close as you can get. Realize the course is designed to take anyone and I mean anyone and teach them the basics of flight. I would not stress over the major gearing you for API, but rather one that will get you TO API. It does no good to choose a major you cannot do well in and then get passed over because your grades in college are not high enough. That may be why you hear such things as “Poly-Sci to fly” since these majors are traditionally easier on the GPAs. Just read the books, memorize bold print, participate in study groups, and you should be fine as long as you invest the time and energy. I think most of the winged aviators in here would conquer with that.
If you are interested in getting your PPL (Private Pilot’s License), I think you can get it at the end of primary. Besides, I do not think getting a PPL automatically bypasses you through IFS anymore. Some of my classmates and then some people I met at A-pool who had PPLs were still required to complete IFS. No biggie, you will just get done quicker and besides you already understand the concepts they are trying to teach you. Wind pushes you, turn the yoke left, the plane goes left. Simple things like that. Perhaps the most invaluable training you receive in IFS is radio work. Students are often apprehensive about radio calls. This will get you over that fear. Pretty soon you realize that the voice on the other end is in fact another human being. On the ground getting ready for a solo, I called up Eglin Clearance and to my amazement, the guy they had on the radio was a student as well. "Eglin clearance, Miracle Strip 5-0 delta on the ground at Destin, departing Runway 32, request VFR clearance to the east training area." To which I heard "Miracle strip 5-0 delta, uhhhhh....uhhhhh *mike Clicks* uhhhh miracle strip 5-0 delta departure approved?" The instructor at clearance took over then.
IFS is being taken more seriously now (for use as a further weeding-out tool) and the Navy, although they swear up and down they are not doing this, is looking for a certain drop-out rate and they have revoked flight school contracts on the grounds that the flight schools are not failing enough people. Realize that by being selected into flight school, you are already a cut above. Most people are pretty smart, and fairly confident in their known abilities. My suggestion is you just go through IFS and hopefully you will get a good instructor which most of them are. Almost everyone passes IFS. People who don’t usually pass should not even be allowed near plane let alone any type of complicated machinery.
As far as college majors go, I went to the Merchant Marine Academy and majored in Ship Operations and Technology. It was basically a major in navigation (terrestrial, celestial, and radio) with a minor in engineering. If you had a major that catered to API textbooks, that probably would be as close as you can get. Realize the course is designed to take anyone and I mean anyone and teach them the basics of flight. I would not stress over the major gearing you for API, but rather one that will get you TO API. It does no good to choose a major you cannot do well in and then get passed over because your grades in college are not high enough. That may be why you hear such things as “Poly-Sci to fly” since these majors are traditionally easier on the GPAs. Just read the books, memorize bold print, participate in study groups, and you should be fine as long as you invest the time and energy. I think most of the winged aviators in here would conquer with that.
. I felt that one.
